


Us Against The World

by poprockshawty



Series: Survivors [3]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Angst, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Nurses, Sexual Tension, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-06
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-02-27 03:13:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18730576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poprockshawty/pseuds/poprockshawty
Summary: When vampire Baekhyun breaks the law due to his alcohol addiction, he is sent to rehab where he meets the vampire nurse Yeonsoo, who becomes his salvation. His feelings for her are clear, but she struggles with hers. On top of it all, they must face enemies lurking around every corner, hungry for more than just blood.





	1. Can't Bring Me Down

"I'm fine," Baekhyun growled adamantly, impatiently stomping his feet. Whenever he did that and used such a whiny voice, he sounded like a kid who could never grow up, nothing like the 26-year-old man he looked like. It was even more mind-boggling to think that he was a 78-year-old vampire.

Baekhyun was never good at staying still, which made it difficult for his attending nurse to do her job. She was supposed to check all his injuries and clean his wounds as he and his colleague Kyungsoo had just gotten into a brawl with a werewolf.

"Will you please sit still!" She said sternly, but without ire as she placed her hands on his shoulders, inadvertently getting a feel of how broad his shoulders were. She had squeezed those shoulders under very different circumstances before, even kissed and bitten them, but yeah, that was not what she should be focused on thinking about right now.

Baekhyun groaned again. "Come on, it's not me you should be fussing over. I'm more concerned about Kyungsoo's jaw; it really took the full blow before more guards came along. I didn't think I'd be able to dodge that kick but I did, because I'm awesome. So please, let me put on some clean clothes and fetch that AB positive blood bag that we all crave. I told you, I'm fin— ow, ow, ow!" He hissed sharply and winced. His waist hurt. Ouch. Fuck, it really did goddamn hurt.

The nurse sighed. "First of all, there's another nurse checking on Kyungsoo-ssi, so he's taken care of. Secondly, I don't deny that you're awesome—”

"So you agree? You think I'm awesome too?" He turned his head and winked at her, a smug smirk hanging over his handsome face.

"Yes I do. Anyway, I was saying, as much as you are awesome, you did get injured and so Prince Suho had sent someone else to restock, so that you and Kyungsoo-ssi can just stay here and rest.”

"Well, of course His Highness would do that," Baekhyun uttered as if in displeasure. He did not have anything against the vampires who were sent in his place to do the Prince's bidding, but he was just extra eager to prove himself useful and competent to His Highness.

"I know you want to become His Highness' right hand man again, but I don't think missing out on one errand is going to make much of a difference. The Prince knows it's not your fault. Plus, he already lets you call him 'hyung' again, just like before," she replied in reassurance as she properly disposed of all the used cotton buds. “I know you used to have a lot more privileges, but at least he trusts you, Baekhyun. Isn’t that what’s important?”

"Hmph, I can do better," he shrugged, fidgeting less now.

"You probably will, but that shouldn’t mean you aren’t good enough right now, alright?” She patted him tenderly, careful not to make him hurt even more. “There, all done," she said softly. "Let me put these away and wash my hands. Then let's go get some food, yeah? You need to eat so you can recover quickly."

His facial expressions softened as he reached out to hold her free hand now that she had taken off her gloves. "And you've always been the one to make sure that I recover quickly and that I eat well and that I’m healthy," he looked up at her fondly and smiled.

She returned the smile but even though it was sincere, it was more guarded and less mirthful than his. "And you're grateful to me for that," she said emphatically. "I know."

"Yeonsoo, I—" he began earnestly, but she cut him off.

"Wait here for me. I'll be right back," she said hastily and made her way to the room at the end of the hallway.

Baekhyun sat alone in the check-up room, idly smoothing out his brows as he waited like a good boy. In the meantime he indulged in his thoughts about his relationship with the vampire prince Suho.

It was several years ago, which was really just a blink of an eye to immortals such as vampires. Back then, Baekhyun had developed an addiction for human blood with heavy alcohol concentration. To make things worse, it was against the prince's rules to feed on humans directly. Having broken the rules, Suho had had to dismiss Baekhyun from his service, but he also sent Baekhyun to a rehabilitation center. That was where he met Yeonsoo who worked there as a nurse before coming to work at the prince's mansion.

After his recovery, he was given a second chance. He jumped at the opportunity to rejoin the prince's service and to work alongside his friend Kyungsoo, as well as other vampires of his rank. While Suho was indeed disappointed when Baekhyun had strayed from the rules, it was ex-addict himself who was more bothered by his transgression in the past. Ever since his return he had been working hard to stay clean and to stay in His Highness' good graces. He knew that he could not,  _must_  not allow himself to repeat his mistakes. And he had been doing exceptionally well, but he told himself that that was precisely why he needed to keep up the good work, and maintain this level of effort and commitment. He was determined to not fall out of royal favor a second time.

Suho had originally given Baekhyun a managerial position in governing the vampire populace. But ever since his downfall, he had had to start all over by working at entry level, along with Kyungsoo and the others who ran simpler errands, such as restocks, and work their way up. Though of course, there were people who had unspoken objections to the prince’s edict and disagreed with His Highness’ decision to let Baekhyun work for him again. For example, some of the higher-level management employees. To say the least, they were willing to go to great lengths to prevent him from regaining power which would pose a threat to their authority that they were already struggling to keep and yet still seeking to expand.

It was tough, but at least he still had Yeonsoo.

* * *

When Yeonsoo returned to her duties in the hospital wing, she was intercepted by her supervisor who looked perhaps a little too eager to see her. It was not enthusiasm that he was radiating but, rather, avarice and impatience. At the workplace he almost always wore a polite smile on his wrinkle-free face, but toward his subordinates that smile somehow seemed threatening, or wicked, or even lewd. Either way, he was not someone Yeonsoo would have any desire to cross paths with, unless their work absolutely necessitated interactions of any sort.

“Good afternoon, Manager Jo,” said Yeonsoo, keeping her facial expressions neutral as she bowed to him. She made an effort to keep her attitude professional, even though the same effort was not reciprocated on his part. Some of the department’s worst kept secrets included his affairs (that were definitely not work-related) with newcomers who were unwisely desperate to climb up the ladder of hierarchy. Anyway, it was anything but professional and every time Yeonsoo was alone with him, she had to think of how to resist his advances on her.

“Ah, Yeonsoo-ssi, I was just looking for you,” he replied gleefully. “I heard about the werewolf attack. Did you attend to Baekhyun-ssi’s injuries today?”

“Yes, sir, I did.”

“And how is his situation? Does he need to stay in the infirmary?” He prodded relentlessly. “I must make the time to pay him a visit.”

“It’s not too bad, sir. He may return to work but has been advised to steer clear of heavy manual labor,” she reported monotonously, remaining wary of his intentions. All these questions definitely did not come from his caring and kind personality.

“I understand. Although I’m sure with such a pretty nurse attending him, he will heal fast and be back in full throttle in no time,” he commented drawly, shifting his stance to stand closer to her which might give him an opportunity to initiate some physical contact with her. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

She merely cleared her throat, not at all flattered by the compliment that she knew was just a means to an end.

He smiled phonily and continued. “You must believe that my concern for Baekhyun-ssi is genuine. When I was young I also almost became a victim to the wolves and I would not wish it upon any of our kind. Werewolves can be extremely vicious and I expect that this assault would have given him a great scare. Please arrange more frequent check-ups for him to ensure that the progress for his recovery is ideal,” he instructed. All these arrangements seemed to reflect his concern for Baekhyun’s welfare, but Yeonsoo had a hunch that he would much rather see Baekhyun much more heavily wounded and preferably bedridden, unable to go to work or otherwise contribute to the prince’s administration.

“Yes, sir, I will,” she replied robotically.

“Do make the time to accompany him, talk to him, and query after how he’s doing, how he’s feeling and all that. I imagine His Highness would be pleased to learn that we are offering the best hospitality to such a valued member of his team. I would like you to report to me regularly about his condition and what we can do better to suit his needs,” he added crisply. From the malicious glint in his eye it was not difficult for Yeonsoo to tell that he was up to no good and whatever he was plotting, its success depended on her tipping him with information that she might be able to obtain from Baekhyun.

“Yes, sir,” she repeated herself. She did not mean to agree to do as he said but what could she have said instead? He was the supervisor and she was an employee. Feeling bored already of his incessant ramblings and obsequiousness, she simply wanted to get away from him and do her job. “If you have no further instructions, I will carry on with my duties in the clinic.”

“Oh, yes, yes, of course, I should detain you not a moment longer. Otherwise I’ll have to deal with mardy patients who’ve waited all day for the hottest nurse in the ward to check on them,” he joked and laughed shamelessly, but Yeonsoo could not find it in her to so much as produce the smallest chuckle.

More than happy to be on her way and actually get to work than be the subject of inappropriate remarks, Yeonsoo made her way to wherever she was needed. And even after her shift had ended, as she silently ate her dinner at the canteen, she wondered what Manager Jo was trying to achieve and whom he might be in cahoots with. Sure he was not directly maiming Baekhyun, but he could definitely benefit if Baekhyun were incapacitated and out of the way. Baekhyun’s original post was much coveted after all. This only made Yeonsoo more eager to thwart any plans Manager Jo might have, and make sure Baekhyun was protected and getting the best treatment. Should she warn him about her duplicitous supervisor? Given Baekhyun’s ‘criminal records’, he was already a bit of a celebrity around here, and most vampires in this nest only had unkind things to say about his past addiction and misdeeds. Many disliked him and tried to bring him down and Manager Jo was probably one of them. Baekhyun had no shortage of enemies and if he was to stay on top then he needed to know who he was dealing with and watch out for the snakes all around him. But it might only add to his burdens if he had to keep his guard up all the time, with only wariness and distrust, and no plan to actually fend off those would love to see him fall. How, then, was he supposed to rest well and recover quickly? Yeonsoo was so deep in her thoughts and considerations that she did not even notice that she was merely nibbling and chewing aggressively on the blood bag in her hand long after having emptied its contents.


	2. Abstinence

A week had passed and every day, Baekhyun would stride into the infirmary with his distinct swagger. He was there for his checkup, and he would always ask for Yeonsoo to do it. Frankly he would shamelessly use this excuse day after day — if not even more often — to get to see her, which fit nicely with whatever it was that Manager Jo was up to.

Alone in the ward, Baekhyun was too playful to not steal kisses.

“I feel better than I ever have,” he said cheerily.

“That's because you're healing nicely, and because I make sure you eat well and rest well,” Yeonsoo replied proudly. “You wanna put your shirt back on? I'm done with the checkup.”

“No, I think I'm fine just like this,” said Baekhyun singsong. “And I know you're tempted. So I don't see a downside to it. I enjoy tempting you and you enjoy the tempting view that's exclusively yours.”

“You're exclusively mine?” Yeonsoo asked, chuckling in mirth.

Baekhyun nodded. “I think I keep telling you this. Are you not convinced?”

Yeonsoo stifled a sigh. She believed that Baekhyun was not dallying with anybody else. He would not even bat an eye at anyone else, but she just was not convinced that what he felt for her was more than sexual attraction, and the gratitude that he had mistaken for love. Ironically, she held the belief that all she felt for him was sympathy and lust when it was in fact quite something else. Something more.

“You can convince me another time. I have patients queuing up for me right now. You should get dressed and go.”

She had not meant to sound so impassive, but she truly did not know how to deal with her feelings, and his. Not to mention they were growing every day.

Before they had to part ways — ah, Baekhyun always hated this part. He never wanted her to leave his side. Sure he knew they were likely to meet again very soon, but it was never soon enough. He yearned for her always and this time, like almost every other time, he held her hand and asked her, “have you got clinic duty tonight?”

“Nope, I’m free," she answered. "Shall we meet in the gardens tonight?"

“Not tonight. Come to my room. I...I want to hold you," he said, with earnest fondness.

She snorted, but not dismissively. “No, you want to fuck me into oblivion," she corrected softly.

“Yeah, I do," he laughed. "And then after that I want to hold you.”

“I don't know. Let me think about it,” she replied teasingly.

“Ah,” he whined. “I've been denied of pleasure for the past week because you insist I shouldn't be exerting myself when I haven't completely recovered yet.”

“That I did. But I’m sure you've found a way to relieve yourself of certain frustrations when I'm not looking.”

“I...I haven't!”

“Really?”

“Really! I did as I was told.”

“Who knew you could be such a sub,” she smirked.

“Ya!” He chastised. “You know better than that, dear.”

“If you say so,  _dear_ ,” she shrugged playfully, but he would not stand for her attitude, tugging her by the arm and then pulling her down onto his lap as he sat on the side of the bed, faces close but lips not quite yet touching.

“Where do you think you're going with this, you little minx?” Amusement in his tone, allowing her to feel his breath on her chin as well as how breathless  _she_  was. He took her breath away and it was not even as if he was choking her.

But she could handle him, no problem. She was ditching neither the attitude nor the smirk on her face.

“I think…” she drawled, slowly and seductively, “I'm going…” a finger trailing down his jaw as she spoke, “going…” by now her finger had reached his chest, crawling down to his abdomen, “going…back to work!” She announced, hopping off his lap with surprising swiftness. Cheerfully she smoothed out her uniform, grabbed the tray on the nightstand, and left him narrowing his eyes at her in slight frustration and strong desire.

He was not that worked up though, knowing he could have his way with her tonight. His wicked, wanton way.

That night, she did show up at his door, and he did get to have her in his bed. Sure she expected him to be quite eager as she had been denying him for a relatively long time, but he was downright thirsty for her, his urge as powerful as a newly turned vampire’s need to feed on fresh human blood.

“Be patient,” she whined, having to keep her sentences short because he honestly was not giving her much time to speak between his kisses. Her words hardly had an effect on him, whereas his touch was affecting her more than she could vocalize. His hands were greedy,  _avaricious_ , roaming  _all_  over her body and even though she was still pretty much clothed (surprisingly), she was falling under his spell.

“I’ve been a patient for far too long,” he grumbled before burying his face in her neck, blessing her and marking her with his nipping and kissing. “Besides, you don’t get to tell me what to do,” he growled, reclining to take his shirt off.

“You really have softened, huh?” She laughed, moving to take off her dress altogether.

He followed suit and threw his shirt onto a chair. “What gave you that idea?” Although he was originally frowning, he simply  _adored_  her body, and the delight he derived from the view of her body had certainly done much to dissolve any indignation on his part.

“It’s just so soft of you to simply tell me what I’m not allowed to do, rather than...effectively demonstrating it. Is it because you don’t have it in you to gag me? Slap me? Grab me like this?” She challenged, even daring to grab his hand, holding it up and fitting it against her jaw as if he was the one gripping her in an attempt to intimidate and control her.

Instead he simply rubbed her chin slowly, his thumb drawing circles and stroking steadily. A smile grew on his face — it was a playful, mysterious smirk as well as a loving, heartwarming beam at the same time. It had her dazzled, enchanted, and most importantly, aroused, as her eyes kept darting back to his torso now that it was exposed to her.

“So I need to raise my game, is that what you’re saying?” He shot back, more amused than irked.

“I mean, I’m not saying that I like it when you’re in control, but...that’s exactly what I’m saying,” she chirped, trailing a finger down his chest and abs. “Then again, if you’re not feeling up for it…” mischievously she lied back down on the bed and turned to her side, pretending to yawn and sleep.

Baekhyun acted fast. “Now, now. You ain’t fooling me,” he drawled, deftly getting out of his trousers. He settled right behind her, conveniently spooning her to let her get a feel of how hard he was getting. “And don’t put words in my mouth, dear.”

She chuckled and asked innocently, “then what should I put in your mouth?”

“I should be the one asking you that.” His voice dropped lower and his hands set off to explore her body, and she let him. And each time he closed in on her crotch, he stopped, only to let out a lighthearted hum. While he was getting her worked up, he just casually placed kisses on her neck and shoulder.

“ _You_ should be the one doing this,” she declared, grabbing his hand to tug at her bra, indicating to him that she wanted it off, but he had other plans.

“Uh-uh,” he shook his head, a hand sneaking up to roam her chest, squeezing and caressing her flesh. His other hand was even toying with the clasp but it was as if he had no intention to remove it. When her nipples were between his fingertips, she gasped, not expecting it to stimulate and excite her  _so much_.

Then again, he was not the only one who had been, well, abstaining. She had not been getting laid either, so it was no surprise that she was craving this carnal pleasure as much as he was.

She desired to touch him as much as she desired to be touched by him. If his hands got to wander then hers should be entitled to the same liberty, and since he had not made the move to restrain her — be it through ties or ropes or chains or cuffs, because she was absolutely certain that if he had the mind to do it then she would be  _utterly_  helpless right now — she was going to touch him and pleasure him. Reaching behind to grab his crotch, his hardest parts were separated from her palm only by his boxer briefs. Since he had refused to strip her of her undergarments, she leveled the playing field by pleasuring him outside that layer of fabric too. She palmed him, rubbed him up and down, licking her lips at how fully erect he was...oh, this was so much fun.

“You’ve missed this, haven’t you?” He purred, his kisses becoming more relentless and his touches getting rougher.

Admittedly she did. She missed these delightful sensations he gave her when he pleasured her in a variety of ways, but right now it was beyond physical gratification. Right now they were cozy and intimate and...a voice in her head even concluded that they were being too intimate, too romantic, too loving. This voice did not need to be loud — as long as it carried a strong, compelling point. She  _knew_  she tended to push him away before it became too much for her emotionally, before he got too close to her. She could let him into her world, and she would gladly let him into her bed, but when it came to letting him into her heart, her defenses and deductions complicated things.

“Answer me,” he insisted, a slightly raspy growl inhabiting his tone as his lust grew. “Don’t be shy now; I know you can be quite the harlot if I wanted you that way.”

He was right. In bed she was uninhibited with him. Perhaps submissive, but uninhibited nonetheless. It was only when she was bothered to think about her feelings for him that she became warier. But if her growing wetness was any indication, her body was telling her head to shut up. Now was not the time to speculate, or contemplate, or ruminate. Now was the time to have hot, steamy sex.

“Yeah, I’ve missed this,” she confessed breathily. “I’ve missed you.”

“So don’t push me away,” he whispered in her ear, his hand moving lower once again to caress her waist and hips. “I want you,” he said in an assertive tone. But if she knew his heart at all she would know it was not a statement, not a display of dominance, but a plea, for her heart to accept his, without any reservations. It was not even about sex anymore; one week of abstinence would not suffice to compel him to pour his heart out in this manner. “I long for you,” he added, his breathing becoming uneven not so much because of the way she was rubbing him, but because of how fast his heart was beating. His deepest emotions were sprawled out across his face, exhibiting all his genuine affection and fondness for her that she so liked to dismiss as mere gratitude. She had her back to him so she could not see his expressions — but in all honesty she did not need to. It was not her eyes’ acknowledgement and acceptance that he yearned for, but her heart’s. “So,” he went on, sounding more collected now as he recomposed himself from an intensely vulnerable moment. “Don’t push me away.”

Instead of distancing herself from him, she pulled him closer and touched him more brazenly. He hissed at the pleasure and pushed the fabric further down to allow her to stroke his shaft and slowly pump it. He slid his hand into her panties and went straight for the slick wetness that awaited his touch. He found that she was even wetter than he had anticipated. Perhaps it was this pleasant discovery that made him understand, at least partially, why she turned him down earlier that day at the ward. They would be in a hurry to fuck, to avoid the risk of getting caught, so she was not likely to get much pleasure from his fingers that she loved so much. But now that they had all the time in the world…

A lewd moan broke from her mouth when he slid a finger into her. “You know I love making you feel good,” he smirked in satisfaction and moved his finger slowly, peppering kisses over her neck.

“More,” she panted slightly. She was aware of how desperate she sounded, but she did not mind it. She just wanted him to give it to her.

“If you ask nicely,” he teased singsong, withdrawing his finger to draw circles on her clit.

“Fuck,” she cursed under her breath. “Baekhyun, please.”

“Mm hmm.” He nosed her earlobe and nibbled on it playfully as he went back in again, this time with two fingers. She moaned again and threw her head back a little, biting her lip and stroking him faster, running her thumb over his tip. When he added another digit because she was so ready, she whined and rubbed her thighs together, truly desperate for more friction and stimulation. Seeing her squirming like this had turned him on immensely and also wore his patience thin.

“Baekhyun…”

The way she said his name was the final straw. He removed his hand from her and became more aggressive than ever, especially in the way he ripped her undergarments off. Now that she was bare, he shifted his lower body into a semi-kneeling position, and spoke in that husky, seductive voice of his. “Tell me why I shouldn’t fold you in half and take you any way I want.”

Although unspoken, he wanted a response that only she could give, and she sure did deliver. “Because I want you to take me like this,” she declared, decisively lifting her leg to place it across his. Then she grabbed his butt to let her know how prepared she was for what she wanted, for what they both wanted.

He needed no further encouragement. He pushed himself into her, the easy entry making both of them vocalize their bliss. It felt so good that he took a moment to let himself be absorbed in this ecstasy, before continuing to stimulate her manually, stroking and rubbing at his pace. She on the other hand fondled his balls, her muscles clenching around his length as he thrusted. She sank completely into the pleasure she was getting from this, and he loved hearing her moans especially as they really quite effectively conveyed to him how close she was. This spurred him on to go deeper, altering the angle to wedge his thigh between her legs so it was like she was straddling him. His pace quickened and he grunted in delight, holding her tight. With his next breath he added so much more passion and force to his thrusts; he really was not playing. She arched her back in response and, as she was not coherent enough to speak clearly, broken cries would have to do for now. She managed to exclaim his name when he made her climax, and that made his pride swell. Every time she came for him, it stroked his ego so much and added to the satisfaction when his orgasm quickly followed, leading him to gasp and produce a long groan, punctuated by a sensual grunt at the finish.

Both of them were sweating so much but there was hardly any desire to disengage. His arms were wrapped snugly around her, eager to make this coziness and closeness last. He just needed her. And he hoped that one day she would need him the same way too.


	3. Detox

The rehab center was a place full of painful memories for Baekhyun. It was not at all easy to recover from an alcohol addiction. But he still managed to get back on his feet from all that, and it was also at the rehab center that Baekhyun met Yeonsoo and fell for her. So maybe, it was not such a dark place after all. At least, he was stable enough to revisit and chat with some of the patients there.

Conveniently, Yeonsoo, as a senior nurse, had been assigned to mentor some nurses in training, and currently her station was at the rehab center as well due to her work experience there. Perhaps Baekhyun was also using this as an excuse to get to see her more often, or perhaps she signed up to be part of the mentoring program and used  _this_  as an excuse to get to see  _him_ more often. She liked to see him safe and healthy, and did not appreciate having to be around him  _because_  he was sick and dying, or  _because_  he was injured from a werewolf attack.

When her shift ended for the day, she left work with Baekhyun and went back to the staff quarters. There, they sat down at the lounge and had a drink together.

“So, what’s it like being a mentor?” Baekhyun asked, keeping his hand on his knee for now but wondering if Yeonsoo would allow him to hold her hand. Last time she still resisted him; maybe this time…

“Quite refreshing, actually,” she answered with a smile and stretched her arms. “Still demanding and tough, but that’s the life of a nurse.” She rubbed her waist and back as her muscles were complaining, thinking she was being subtle about it but not at all for Baekhyun who was observant and attentive to her needs.

“I’d love to give you a massage,” he offered tenderly. “You’ve had a long day. Let me help you relax.”

She smiled. “Well, that does sound tempting…”

“You know, if you want me to do more, you can tell me. Just say the word and I’ll deliver,” he replied happily. He would honestly do anything to be by her side.

“You don’t need to repay me for helping you curb your drinking habits and nursing you back to health, you know,” she said. “I’m just doing my job.”

Her tone remained gentle but he could read between the lines and what she was  _really_  saying was sharp like a knife, and that mentality she held could hurt him more than a werewolf or any beast or weapon could ever.

A part of him was actually slightly angry, frustrated, that after all this time she  _still_  believed that he was just trying to show his gratitude and pay her back for being there with him throughout his convalescence. He tried his best to not get worked up — of course he knew better than to get angry at her. He had better self-control than that.

“No, I don’t,” he said calmly. “I’m not doing it because I’m thankful. I’m not doing it because I’m trying to get in your pants. I’m doing it because —”

“I know,” she cut in quietly.

Baekhyun sighed. “You did do your job well. I’ve recovered. I’m alive and kicking, even though for some time my condition was really bad. I was dying, and during that time, you stayed with me, not just to do your job, not just to be the great nurse that you are. It probably never really crosses your mind anymore these days, but for me? I could never forget what you did. You folded one thousand paper cranes just because legend promises that the gods will grant you one wish, and there was nothing you were more scared of than that I wouldn’t survive the detox process.”

“Baekhyun, I —”

“Do you do that for your other patients too? Do any of your colleagues do it as well? Any trainees you’re mentoring been doing that?” He questioned, desperate to prove a point to her. He paused to make her think about it, even though he was not really after an answer from her. He had all the answers, and so did she. The difference was that he was not in denial like she was. “So how much longer are you planning to lie to yourself for? You can lie to me with a straight face, unblinking, I’m sure. But to your own heart?” He shook his head. “I don’t know why you do it. I can’t fathom why you wouldn’t want to believe that genuine affection is right under your nose.” He knew he sounded almost accusatory, and that was never his intention, but he could not stand it anymore. This pointless denial, this agonizing repression, why did it have to be this way? 

“Baekhyun, please...”

He raised his voice not because he wanted to intimidate her but because all these repressed emotions within him were bursting and threatening to spill. “I could’ve died,” he huffed. “But I fought for my life, with every single fiber of my being, because I wanted more time on this earth to love you, to be with you. I certainly didn’t fight to stay alive, just so you could live each day believing that my feelings for you aren’t real, or that you don’t return my affections,” he stated heatedly. “And let me tell you, detox was painful, so fucking painful. It drained all of me, and it would be so much easier to just let go and give in. But I still had strength left in me to fight, because  _you_ gave me strength. Because you  _are_  my strength.” His voice broke, and it was only then that he realized that he had tears in his eyes.

She could not find the words to say, so she bit her lip and reached out to hold his hand tight. “Baek…”

He tried to remain composed, but still a tear had to drop. “Don’t you know how much you mean to me? And do I mean so little to you that you would rather dismiss your own feelings than face them?” He sniffled. “You could love me even when I was at my worst. It’s just sad that you can’t admit it.”

Seeing him shed tears made her heart ache. She placed a finger at his lips to shush him, and all at once his focus was on that physical contact and he stayed silent. And then she removed her finger just to replace that contact with a kiss, leaning into him and letting her soft lips taste his, as well as his tears. She knew he was right to say all these things, and she had no words to defend her position or refute his arguments. It was true that she only had love and affection for him, and this kiss was long overdue anyway. It was passionate even in all its tenderness, full of fondness, and not like the kisses they shared in the events leading up to their steamy sessions. This was not their first kiss but it was certainly one of their most meaningful kisses.

She cleared her throat afterwards and smiled lovingly at him as she gathered her thoughts. “I...I promise I didn’t do that just to shut you up.” And when she saw that he was too overwhelmed by joy and relief to speak, she continued. “You know...do you wanna come have dinner with me?”

He smiled through the tears and somehow found his sense of humor. “Are you asking me out? Just so you know, I don’t fuck on the first date.”

The smile on her face grew. “All that I’m  _insinuating_  is that I’m hungry and I’m gonna go get some food. So if you’d like to tag along, feel free,” she joked and shrugged, standing up but still holding his hand in hers.

“Of course I’ll come with you,” he said as he rose too, squeezing her hand. “Whatever you say, dear.”

* * *

The next day, Yeonsoo was, regrettably, summoned to see Manager Jo in his office. With much reluctance, she showed up and greeted him formally.

"It's funny to see that you're still so formal with me even though we've known each other for so long now," he said flippantly, sitting back and gesturing for Yeonsoo to take a seat.

"I merely wish to be polite, sir," said Yeonsoo monotonously. She thought that as a manager he would be busy with, well, actual work stuff, but it always seemed like he had too much time to spend on this kind of talk.

"You know, Yeonsoo-ssi, you did well in there yesterday," he began.

"Thank you, sir. I try my best in leading and coaching the trainees by setting a good example for them," she replied, recalling her exchanges with the junior nurses.

"Oh, that's not what I mean," he laughed. It made her feel very uneasy and she shifted in her seat.

“I'm afraid I'm confused, sir."

"I'm referring to your conversation with Baekhyun-ssi yesterday," he explained. "In the lounge. Ring a bell?"

She paled and clenched her fists. "How would you..."

"Ah, you see, you don't own the lounge," he said sardonically. "It's common space and any staff member can have access to it. It just so happens that at that hour of the day, nobody else was there."

"Or so we thought," she added under her breath.

"Anyway," he went on, clasping his hands together gleefully. "All I asked of you was to keep an eye on him and report back to me, but what you did was above and beyond. I really appreciate it; that was really quite a show. That whole speech from him, wow, it really touched my heart." He dabbed at his eyes and pretended to sob. "And then the kiss! He really fell for it, didn't he? Everything was just right and I couldn't have scripted it or directed it better myself. It’s quite obvious that he’s whipped for you. I'm so glad that I have you working for me."

His words and mockery made her blood boil. "Sir, I believe it would be more accurate to say that we all work for the prince here. I as a nurse and you as a manager. No more than that. I want no part in whatever else you have going on. I just want to focus on my clinic duties. I'm sure you have a very clear idea of what is professional conduct and what isn't. What goes on between me and Baekhyun-ssi is part of my personal life and his, so I don't see why it should be any of your concern. Nor do I understand why there is a need for us to be having this meeting in your office to discuss this matter, when I should in fact be tending to my patients right now," she stated indignantly. It was difficult to remain civil with him and honestly took every ounce of self-control she had. She could somehow make her words less sharp and moderate her tone, but the fierceness and scorn in the way she glowered at him was undeniable.

After her outburst, he stared at her for a good moment before beginning to cackle maliciously. It infuriated her further when he spoke. "I didn't expect this to get even more interesting. Wow! What a plot twist. You have feelings for him too. Real feelings, huh? You didn't just do and say all those things yesterday for show. You actually meant them. You must've been moved by how much truth his words had. You kissed him because you actually like him too, right? Ooh, it gets better," he laughed dryly. "But at least now I know the truth about your heart. And I also know that I won't be able to use you as my pawn anymore. No matter. I'll simply find other ways to take down anybody who gets in my way. You and your alcoholic little boyfriend will find yourselves in trouble before you know it."

Abruptly she rose to her feet, almost making the chair tip over. She slammed her hand on the table in front of her and glared at him irefully. "How dare you," she hissed. "Baekhyun and I have never done anything to you. I know you think he's unworthy because of his mistakes and struggles in the past. But he —”

"It wasn't just a mistake!" He bellowed, standing up too. "And it wasn't just some struggle. He broke a rule; he ought to be punished with exile, at the very least. It was one of the most fundamental principles to live by, and it applies to everyone in our community. Why should he continue to live among us? He's a criminal. He shouldn't be given special treatment."

"There  _is_  no special treatment!" She retorted fierily. "He used to occupy a post of a much higher ranking than yours, but he's had to start all over, working from entry-level positions. He was on probation, passed it, and he's working his way back up. He puts his head down and works hard, whereas I can't say the same for you. He's learned his lesson and won't fall out of line again. He minds his manners, stays humble, respects everybody, even if that doesn't go both ways with some people — maybe you should be learning from him rather than criticize him. Everything he has now, he has because of his own effort, not because the prince gave him special treatment. And all of that makes him a lot of worthier than you."

He gritted his teeth. "You might want to watch your tone. Don't forget who you're speaking to."

"I haven't forgotten. But if I do ever forget, it's because you're doing such a shit job at being a manager and staying professional. You disgust me," she snarled. "You have nothing on Baekhyun. You feel threatened by him because even though he fell down in the past, he got back on his own two feet and he keeps rising. He won't be knocked down another time and he's your worst nightmare because you fear that he'll outshine you, which he will. That's why you keep trying to bring harm to him, plot against him, take him down, but you know what? You won't succeed with your cheap antics and manipulation and harassment. You won't lay a finger on him, not when  _I'll_  fight back, and so will he." Lividly she turned on her heel and made her way to the door. She was absolutely disgusted with him and could not stand another moment in his presence.

"You think you can work against  _me_?! Preposterous. I'm older than both of you combined," he seethed, making her halt just as her hand rested on the doorknob.

"And much more foolish too," she shot back angrily. "Even if it’s me and him against the world, we will fight and we won’t let you win," she declared, and walked out the door with her head held high.


	4. Promotion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has minor character death.

Whereas Baekhyun had the privilege of immortality, it was not shared by his human parents.

Baekhyun’s parents were in their nineties already, frail, and quite generally slipping away. He visited them regularly and it helped them recognize him as their son whenever he bit on his thumb and closed his eyes — he did that a lot as a child, biting his thumb till he fell asleep. While they would be delighted to see him, his heart ached whenever he thought to himself that this time it seemed like his parents were really not going to make it. They were plagued by a variety of illnesses too, and it became painful for them to carry on living. Baekhyun did not want to let go of them, and yet what would be the point if they were going to suffer like this?

Dying, too, was painful. Exhausting. Baekhyun knew from experience. If for his parents the time was up, he wanted it to be painless for them. But before it all had to end, there was someone he wanted them to meet.

"Don't worry," said Baekhyun to Yeonsoo sweetly. "They're gonna love you. They've always wanted me to be with someone gentle and caring and supportive. You are all of these things and so much more."

Baekhyun was right. Although it was extremely difficult for his parents to so much as utter a word, the toothless smiles on their wrinkled faces was reassurance and confirmation enough that they did like Yeonsoo — and absolutely approve of this young lady as their son’s girlfriend.

As Baekhyun could not be around all the time to take care of them, he hired two nurses — human nurses — to do the job for him. They regularly sent him updates of how his parents were doing, and he was grateful to them.

Even objectively speaking, the two human nurses were young and quite attractive. And during the visit, Yeonsoo had a feeling that Baekhyun was trying to prove to her that he could be grateful to someone but not confuse that with having romantic or sexual feelings for them. She smiled to herself, glad that she was finally able to profess her feelings for him.

"Would you feel sad if they can’t recognize you anymore?" Yeonsoo asked after the visit. "I think...that one of my worst fears is being forgotten by the ones I love the most."

Baekhyun sighed. "Perhaps I would. But I’m doing as much as I can to make them comfortable, and all they ever really wanted was for me to be happy and loved. And I think I am, especially after you came into my life.”

"And I am here to stay. I’m immortal too. So you can't forget me," she replied with a teasing tone.

He shook his head and smiled, taking her hand in his. "I'd never."

Yet it remained a very real problem that there was not much time left in this world for Baekhyun's ailing parents. And given their diminishing health, it was very unlikely that they could recover. He thought about folding a thousand paper cranes for them just as Yeonsoo had done for him back then when he was on the verge of death. But he feared that they would already be gone before he could get to a thousand.

He could not bear to see them suffering and living each day in pain. Even eating and breathing was difficult, and they could not even do anything. It was a meaningless life. What was the point? Why not spare them the agony?

As Baekhyun thought about his options, he caught word that Prince Suho's friend, Ina the witch, would be visiting His Highness and his girlfriend, and staying for a few days in the countryside. This gave Baekhyun an idea.

* * *

"Are you sure?" Ina asked, still a bit surprised that it would be one of Suho's subordinates who approached her privately with this favor to ask.

Baekhyun nodded. "I just want it to be painless for them. Can you help me?"

Ina paused in thought. "There certainly is a formula. I can give you the concoction in two separate vials," she answered.

"Perfect. Thank you."

* * *

Only a weekend had passed since Yeonsoo's confrontation with Manager Jo. Yet when she returned to work, she received the notice that  _she_  was going to take over his position as the manager. She soon found out that in the end, it was the employees who all suffered under his harassment who found the courage to stand up to him. Together they had filed complaints against him and reported him to Prince Suho. She left it to His Highness to deal with Manager Jo appropriately.

"Congrats on the promotion!" said Baekhyun joyously. "What does it feel like? Manager Yeonsoo."

She smiled. "It was certainly an unexpected job promotion, and work is about to get even tougher. But at least I have my own office now and I know I'm going to do well."

"I'm proud of you! And I'm glad that he's been removed from the department and is under investigation now," he replied. "I guess we won't be seeing him for some time, and that is such a relief for both of us."

"Yes it is, but...Baekhyun, how are you still so...cheerful?" She asked quietly. "I was a complete and utter mess when I found out my parents had passed away."

Baekhyun looked down for a moment and sighed. Biting his lip, he looked back up at Yeonsoo. "Well, the nurses told me that they passed away peacefully and naturally, in their sleep. That's already the best outcome. They don't have to suffer anymore or endure any more pain. They've lived long and happy lives and there's nothing more I could want for them."

She sighed too and pulled him into her embrace. She remembered him telling her that he was happy and loved, like his parents wanted. She was going to make sure he stayed that way.

* * *

Later that day, Baekhyun was granted an audience with Prince Suho.

"Yes, of course you can have a few days off for the funeral and related matters," said His Highness. "I'm sorry for your loss. If you need more time to mourn, just let me know. I can arrange for somebody else to take your place in the retinue."

"The...the retinue, hyung?" Baekhyun asked unsurely.

Suho nodded. "As you know, I'm going to be holding a conference with Kris and his werewolf pack next month. He and I are allies, but we'd like this alliance and solidarity to be shared with the rest of my nest and his pack. He and I both believe that his kind and ours don't have to be at war. We want peace and we're going to make it happen," he explained. "Of course, it would also be a chance for me to find out more about how Luhan is doing — and Ina wants to know too. He's probably not going to be at the conference though, so you don't have to worry about getting attacked again. I, however, was planning to include you as part of my entourage. But I understand if you're not feeling up to it."

"Oh, no, I'm very ready for it," Baekhyun replied gladly. "I'm honored to represent our nest and I'd love to join you, hyung. Wow, I can't even begin to tell you how much I appreciate this opportunity. My parents would be so proud of me, and so would Yeonsoo."

"Perfect," Suho smiled. "I'll see you at our meeting tomorrow then."

* * *

Ina's stay at Prince Suho's mansion was only going to be for a few days and it had come to an end. Before she left, Baekhyun sought her out again.

"I'm thankful for your help, but I won't be needing these anymore," he said, handing to her the box that contained the vials of the concoction that was meant to deliver a painless death.

"Oh?" Ina raised her eyebrows. "You didn't think to keep it? I’ve heard that you've got quite some enemies to watch out for. Even with the sex offender out of the way."

"While that is true," said Baekhyun, "I still won't resort to using poison. I believe in my own hard work and actions. I'll be strong enough to fend them off. Besides, I have someone by my side who gives me all the strength I need to survive even the most trying times," he added with a smile.

Ina smiled too. "I'm glad to hear that. Because the concoction I gave you can't be used to harm anyone. It would only have worked on your ageing parents because they're so frail already. To a normal, healthy living being it'd hardly have any effects."

"Well, I had never meant to use it to assassinate anybody anyway. And I didn't even have the chance to use it for the intended purpose. My parents are in a better place now," Baekhyun replied. "So thank you."

* * *

As Ina set off, Baekhyun returned to Yeonsoo and found her in her new office.

"So," he said. "Now that you've got this office all to yourself..."

"I think I know where you're going with this. Office sex?" She winked.

"My goodness, you read my mind!"

She giggled. "But I can take you up on your offer and get that massage first, right?"

He grinned. "Anything you want, dear."


End file.
